Imposters abound

Find a bug that looks suspiciously like the destructive Asian Longhorned Beetle?

It's likely a whitespotted sawyer, a look-alike beetle that's more fond of pines than the maples that are the ALB's favorite local nosh.

The US Department of Agriculture's local officials in charge of the eradicating the beetle have received nearly 80 calls this spring from folks wondering if they'd found an ALB.

That's nearly impossible: the adult beetles, with the distinctive black and white bands around the antennae (less distinctive on the whitespotted sawyer) haven't made their emergence yet. They'll be out in July.

"We're glad people are looking, but right now it's a little too early," according to USDA ALB Eradication Program Director Clint McFarland.